Typewriting machine



Nov. 1, 1938. W. F. HELMQND 2,134,822

- l TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1956 Ano RN EY- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TYPEWRITING MACHINE William F. Helmond, West Hartford, Conn., as-

signor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January 30, 1936, Serial No. 61,467

4 Claims. (Cl. 197-81) This invention relates to typewriters and in that the stop-forming ends or extensions of the particular to stop-devices for quietly arresting legs are engaged by the shift frame and are the movement of the platen-carrying frame at llexed thereby in resisting the impact of the the ends of its case-shifting movements. shifting blow dealt by said frame. The temper Heretofore, the shift frame, at the limits of of the metal of the stop may be such that both its case-shifting movement, has engaged a yieldextensions, when they are in coacting relation, ing stop-member so that the impact of the blow will provide a firm stopping agent for arresting is softened. These stops, being made of metal, the movement of the shift frame. When the depended upon the flexing of a yieldable portion shift frame, for instance, engages the lower ex- 1()` for initially retarding the movement of the shift tension of the stop near the end of a case-shift- 10 frame. Under repeated shifting of the frame, the ing movement, the single extension so engaged, stop is subjected to punishing blows and the conwill resist the blow of the impact of the frame stant ilexing of the yieldable portion, as the but, due to the temper of the metal of the stop, frame comes into contact with it, tends to inwill yield or flex slightly, but suiliciently to take ll duce fatigue of the metal of said yieldable part. up the main force of the blow. At the same l5 Instead of stopping the frame at a denite point, time, the noise is lessened by avoiding the use which s essential in aligning upper and lower 0f a solid sound conductor at the moment the case typing, the yielclable portion is liable to frame engages the stop extension and the frame bend and gradually change the location of said is stopped quietly and accurately. As the enn stopping point. Adjustment of the stop or comgaged extension flexes, the limiting lip or tongue 20 plete replacement thereof would then become thereon comes into contact with the under side necessary in order to maintain upper and lower of the upper extension and brings the frame to case alignment. initial stop, the extension then coming to repose The present invention contemplates the use oi to definitely position the shift frame at proper a stop-device which embodies two resiliently case-shift position. The extensions acting singly 25 yieldable extensions arranged so that either of will ex slightly under the impact of a blow, them will take the impact of the blow of the but when in coacting engagement with each shift frame to initially retard the movement of other will form a rm initial stop for the shift the frame and in so doing will flex slightly. This frame. The flexure of either extension is so small flexing is a force-resisting movement ofthe stop that the elastic limit of the metal is not ap- 30 extensions which slows down the movement of proached and the constant ilexing through the the shift frame, and as the extensions are free small distance permitted by a small separation at their yielding ends from contact with a solid between the ends of the extensions does not cause surface, the noise of the impact is deadened. fatigue ofthe metal. Thus no permanent bend- This flexing, however, if freely permitted is liable ing of either extension results and the shift frame 35 to result in fatigue of the metal of the yieldabie is brought to a stop at a deiinite point as defined stop extensions and bending thereof, which is to by the position of repose of said extensions after be avoided. To prevent this bending, the exits initial arrest by the coaction of both extensions are arranged so that flexing movement tensions.

of one will cause it to engage or stub against The silencing of the blow of the shift frame is 40 the other extension so that both coact to resist due to the use of tough, relatively thin, strip any movement of the shift frame beyond the metal which, in its stop-extension portions, lacks movement permitted by the ilexing of the one the body to conduct sound as effectively as a extension receiving the impact of the blow of the solid stop-member. The flexing of the stopshift frame. The stop member used is preferextensions of the strip permits dissipation of the 4,5 ably made of strip spring-metal bent substansound by giving way or yielding with the movetially into U-shape form with one of the legs, ment of the shift frame. The coactive engage-- at its end, bent at right angles toward the outer ment of the stop-extensions does not materially end of the other leg so that either leg limits the increase the sound conductivity of the stop beflexing movement of the other leg. Stop-forming cause of the use of strip metal, but the flexing 50 ends of the legs are bent so that the body of the of the stop-extension to initially absorb the blow stop-member is inclined from said stop-forming of the shift frame also serves to dissipate a ends, said body being mounted for endwise adlarge amount of sound that would result in the justment in the direction of its inclination. The use of solid stop means. The initial ilexing of mounting means retains the stop in position so the engaged stop-extension, therefore, not only 55 silences the blow of the shift frame, but also takes up the impact and prevents jarring of the frame.

The resilience of the extensions may be varied by adjustment of the stop-device in the direction of its inclination because as the stop is adjusted back and forth on its support, the amount of overhang of the extensions is decreased or increased and the resilience of said extensions accordingly varied. The resilience of both extensions in coactive engagement, however, may be never insuiiicient to permit yielding of both simultaneously under the impact of a blow from the shift or platen frame. In addition, this endwlse adjustment, due to the angle between the extensions and the relatively inclined body of the stop, provides means for varying the limits of case-shift.

In connection with the stop-device, use is made of abutment or terminal screws ior engagement with the stop-extensions. These screws are adjustable in an abutment bracket so that the range of case-shift may be varied, that is, the platenshift frame may move a greater or a lesser distance depending upon the requirements, or either case-position may be varied independently of the other. The adjustment afforded by the abutment screws is separate and independent from the adjustment that can be obtained by lengthwise movement of the stop-member on its inclined support, and means are provided in the nature of clamping sleeves on the abutment bracket for retaining the abutment or stop-screws in any adjusted position.

In order to cushion the parts of the platenshift frame and carriage that meet when the platen frame returns to normal or lower caseposition so that the sound is eiectively deadened, means are provided for mounting a cushioning pad in suitable ears at the rear of the platen frame, a feature being the construction and mounting of the cushion for use in the limited space afforded.

These devices are preferably mounted at the front and rear of side-members of the platenshifting frame as employed in Underwood type- Writers.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 3,037, led January 23, 1935, now Patent No. 2,044,002, dated June 16, 1936. No claim is made to any feature of invention disclosed in the co-pending application of Ernest M. R. Borg, led April 19, 1935, Serial No. 17,169.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure l is a View in perspective of a part of a typewriter showing the carriage and platen-shift frame and illustrating the mounting of the stopdevices.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation, of one of the stop-devices shown in Figure 1, the yielding action thereof in arresting the shift frame for lower-case position being indicated.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the stop acting to arrest the frame for uppercase position.

Figure 4 is an end view in section of part of the typewriter as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective showing the separated parts of one of the stop-devices and means for mounting the same on the carriage.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of one of the cushion or buffer stops employed at the back of the frame for supporting the same in lower-case position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a carriage frame II runs upon a rear track I2 and front track ID. A platen I3 is journaled in a platen frame I4, supported in said carriage frame II, for case-shifting movements, by means of sidearms I5 that are fastened to a cross-shaft IB to work in unison. Said side-arms I5 support the platen frame I4 at gudgeons I8 of the latter, and side-links I9, connected to the carriage frame I I, co-operate with said side-arms I5 to guide the platen frame case-shift movements. The usual key-controlled case-shift rail and its frame are shown at 20, Figure 4, the shift-rail engaging a roller 2| of the platen frame. Ears I1, extending laterally from the sides of the platen frame, and having cushioning elements, to be described later herein, abut the carriage frame at I1a at the lower-case position of the platen frame. The carriage moves in letter-feed direction upon actuation of the usual set of type-bars constituting type-carriers such as 22, provided with the upper and lower case types 23, Figure 4.

The means for varying the range of case-shift movement of the platen frame and for arresting the movement quietly and without rebound of the frame will now be described.

Each platen frame side-plate 24 carries, at its front edge, spaced stop or abutment screws 25, the opposed heads 252L of which are arranged to engage the opposite sides of a stop-member 32 carried on the carriage frame I I. The screws 25 in contacting the stop, arrest the movement of the platen frame I4 at upper and lower case typing positions. In order to accurately adjust the printing point of the type-bars 22 at either upper or lower case position of the platen, the abutment screws 25 have threaded engagement with resilient clamping sleeves 26 of a U-shaped abutment bracket 21. The bracket is riveted as at 28 or otherwise suitably secured to said platen frame side-plates 24. Each screw 25 may be slotted as at 29 in its opposite ends for convenience of individual adjustment in its respective sleeve 26. In order that the adjusted position of the abutment screws may be accurately maintained, the resilient clamping sleeves 26 which are formed integrally with the abutment bracket 21 are provided with tabs 30 which may be moved toward the bracket 21 by the clamp screws 3| to constrict the threaded bore of the clamping sleeves 26 so that the abutment screws are gripped and prevented from jarring loose or moving with respect to each other. Release of the clamp screws 3I will permit the sleeves to open suiiiciently to release their grip on the abutment screws 25 so that the latter can be adjusted as desired, but threaded engagement of the sleeves and screws is maintained when the sleeves are in full open or release position.

The stop means employed for limiting the case-shift movements of the platen frame I4 includes the stop-member 32 made of strip or band metal into substantially U-shaped form provid- Y ing upper and lower parallel legs 33 and 34 respectively. The ends of the legs 33 .and 34 are bent at an angle and constitute upper and lower exible leg extensions 35, 36 respectively. The lower extension 36 is bent at right angles to provide an upstanding lip 31 which underlies the upper extension 35, is slightly spaced therefrom to form a gap and limits the flexing movement of both extensions 35 and 36. For instance, upon shift to upper case, the upper abutment screw 25 engages the upper extension 35 of the stop 32 the extension will flex slightly as shown at 38, in outline, in Figure 2 to take the impact of the blow quietly but its ilexing movement will be retarded by the limiting lip 3'! with which said extension 35 comes into contact. As extension 35 comes into contact with the lip, the resistance of extension 36 is added to the resistance of extension 35 and the total resistance is such that practically no flexing of the coacting extensions 35 and 33 takes place and the platen frame is brought to an initial stop, the extension 35 then flexing to repose position to nally stop the frame I4 at definite upper-case position. As the lower abutment screw 25 engages the lower extension 36, the latter is slightly exed as shown at 39, in outline, in Figure 3 and takes up the impact of the blow quietly. The flexing movement is limited by contact of the lip 31 with the upper extension 35 to add the resistance of said extension 35 to that of extension 36 in bringing the platen frame to an initial stop, the extension 36 then reflexing to repose position to bring the frame to a definite stop in uppercase typing position. The gap between the lip 31 and the extension 35 is exaggerated as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and it is obvious therefore that said gap may be minute, say, one to three thousandths of an inch.

The mounting of the stop 32 on the carriage frame ll is facilitated by an inclined groove lil on said frame in which the stop 32 frictionally seats due to the resilience of its leg portions. The leg extensions 35 and 3S, of the stop-member 32, through the medium of the bend pre- Viously referred to, are positioned preferably at right angles to and intermediate the abutment screws 25. Due to the relatively inclined position of the legs of the stop 32 with respect to the leg extensions, any movement of the stop in the direction of this inclination will adjust the leg extensions 35, 36 up or down and thus afford an added means of adjusting or varying the caseshift positions of the platen frame. The proper relation of the unengaged leg extensions 35, 36 is maintained by a spacer-block 4l of substantially the same width as the stop 32 and tted closely between the legs 33, 34 thereof to prevent anyflexing movement of the legs themselves. The spacer-block constitutes a pier-block for the cantilever-like leg extensions 35, 39 which flex under the impact of the blow of the shift frame M. The block 4! and stop 32 are secured in position by a screw 43 which threads into the carriage frame Il, as at 42, and is provided with an enlarged head Ml of suflicient diameter to overlie the edges of the stop 32 and constitute a .clamping means therefor. The width of the stop is greater than the depth of the groove 49 and the edges of the legs protrude and are engaged by the screw head 44. Adjustment of the stop is made by loosening the screw 43 and sliding the stop 32 in the direction of its inclination and then tightening the screw, so that the head M thereof, in engaging the edges of the legs of the stop, holds the latter securely in place in the groove. Turning movement of the stop is also prevented by its close connement in the groove.

Engagement of the platen-frame ears l1, formed upon frame-members 9|, with the carriage frame at Ila is cushioned for sound-deadening purpose by the following novel means arranged for application to the limited room afforded upon said ears. A thimble 92 rises from the upper surface of the ear Il, and may be fastened to the ear l1. A cushioning pad 93, seated within a counterbore 94, at the bottom of said thimble 92, may abut the carriage frame at lla, said pad extending below the bottom surface of the ear I1. A screw 99 has a head 91 engaging the bottom of the pad to retain the latter against the counterbored seat of the thimble, and extends upwardly through the pad and through the thirnble, so that a nut 98, threaded upon said screw and drawn against the top of the thimble, will co-operate to retain the pad 93. By variably drawing upon the screw 96 by means of the readily accessible nut 98, the pad 93 may be variably compressed, and thereby its extension below the bottom of the ear I1 may be regulated to facilitate correspondence with the adjustment made at the front of the platen-frame to determine the lower-case platen-level. The

ear Il may also be bent up or down for adjustment of said platen-level.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In .a typewriter, the combination with a platen, spaced abutments, and a set of typecarriers, each type-carrier having a plurality of types, of a stop-device for quietly arresting the opposite relative case-shift movements of said platen and set of type-carriers, said stopdevice including a stop-member presenting individually resilient extensions for yieldably resisting the impact of blows caused by contact of the abutments and stop-member, and means whereby said extensions are caused to coact to unyieldingly resist said impact and arrest relative case-shift movement of said platen and set of type-carriers.

2. In a typewriter, the combination with a platen, spaced abutments, and a set of typecarriers, each type-carrier having a plurality of types, of a stop-device for quietly arresting the opposite relative case-shift movements of said platen and set of type-carriers, said stop-device including a stop-member presenting individually resilient extensions for yieldably resisting the impact of blows caused by contact of the abutments and stop-member, and a projection on one of the extensions for engaging the adjacent extension whereby the extensions coact to unyieldingly resist said impact and arrest relative case-shift movement of said platen and set of type-carriers.

3. In a typewriter having upper and lower case types, a case-shift mechanism including, in combination, a case-shiftable frame, a pair of opposite case-shift abutments for limiting the case-shifting of said frame, a stop-member formed by a U-shaped resilient strip presenting individually yieldable legs for quiet engagement with said abutments, a lip on one leg for limiting the indivi-dual yielding movement of either leg by means of the other leg, to combine said legs in coactive relation to stop the case-shifts,

usable for quietly arresting the Opposite relajecting toward the other extension se that eithei` tive CaSe Shift movements 0f the platen and extension may stub against the othei` extension types, including a Pair 0f Opposite abutments, for limiting the flexing movement of either ex- COunter-stop means presenting two ndividualy tension at its impact with its abutment, said 5 resilient extensions between, and engageable extensions jointly resisting said impact when 5 each with a companion one of said abutments, one stubs against the other. and a, projection on one of the extensions pro- WILLIAM F. HELMOND. 

